Beşiktaş arrive with a commanding 3-0 first-leg lead, but Vincenzo Italiano has rung the changes with six regulars absent from the starting lineup. Kauno Žalgiris, playing at home, have scored in each of their last three home matches and will sense an opportunity against a heavil…
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Sign inKauno Žalgiris host Beşiktaş at their S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno stadionas home on 27 August 2026 in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off round. The Turkish side arrive in Kaunas with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, leaving the Lithuanian hosts needing a remarkable turnaround to reach the league phase.
Beşiktaş have no fresh injury concerns and can welcome back Kassoum Ouattara, who missed the first leg through suspension after his red card in the Hradec Králové tie. Summer signing Leandro Trossard and Dusan Vlahović are both available, the latter having made his debut in the first leg. Kauno Žalgiris are at full strength, with defensive duo Joris Moutachy and Rokas Lekiatas set to return after being rested domestically, while ex-Hibernian midfielder Vykintas Slivka and winger Amine Benchaib are expected to retain their places.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side are yet to concede a goal in six competitive outings this season. A 3-0 first-leg win—sealed by Oh Hyeon-gyu’s early header, an Amir Murillo strike and an Orkun Kökçü penalty—extended a perfect defensive record that includes clean sheets against Midtjylland, Hradec Králové and Eyüpspor. The Black Eagles have been compact and efficient, and with the tie effectively decided, Italiano may manage minutes while preserving that solidity.
Zeljko Sopic’s side reached this stage after eliminating Drita and KI Klaksvik in Champions League qualifying, but two heavy defeats to Dinamo Zagreb exposed the gap when stepping up in class. Domestically, they sit second in A Lyga, a point off the top, following a 2-0 win over Hegelmann and a 1-1 draw with Transinvest. Sopic will demand a far more disciplined performance than the first leg; his men must stay compact and frustrate Beşiktaş to avoid another comprehensive loss.
Salih Özcan has moved ahead of Wilfred Ndidi in Beşiktaş’s defensive midfield role and has been instrumental in shielding the back four. His duel with Slivka and the home side’s central creators will dictate whether Kauno Žalgiris can build any sustained pressure. If Özcan dominates, Beşiktaş can control the tempo and protect the aggregate lead without alarm.
With the tie virtually settled, attention will quickly turn to the league phase draw for Beşiktaş, while Kauno Žalgiris aim to salvage something for their proud home support in what would be their biggest European scalp.
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